Colors splashed across the evening sky as the sun slowly drifted down in the horizon. Blues, purples, pinks and oranges cascaded down romantically reflecting on the crystal-clear waters. There stood Anna on the docks, as she's been standing at the spot everyday at this time for the last year.
Her long black hair whipped and danced gracefully in the wind… her eyes scanning the horizon, non-blinking.

It wasn't long that she had been standing there before spotting a large ship coming toward land. As it got closer, her eyes darted to the flag hanging high on the past, proudly waving. A black flag with a white skull and cross bones painted in the center.

A small rosy smile began to slowly form on her delicate face, her ocean blue eyes twinkling with excitement, as the sweet memories came to mind.

"Why would anyone want to marry someone they don't love?" A younger Anne asked her father.
"You have no choice, young lady." Her father scowled at her, getting annoyed.
"Well, then I'm leaving and never coming back." Anne huffed. She had always been a bit spoiled by her family. Her mother died when she was a young child and from that day, her aunt moved in with them.

"Then leave!" Her father turned and shouted, finally at his last nerve with Anne's 'threats'.

'So be it…' She thought while turning and walking out of the room to go pack.

Later, without a word, she walked out of her father's house, with no intentions of ever returning.

Living on her own was a lot harder than she thought it would be. She had resorted to stealing food from the market any chance she got… a few other times stealing clothes or money.
While being on her own, she also learned to defend herself well with a sword. An old blacksmith friend of hers taught her.

One morning while out on the docks of her small port town, Cutlass Bay, she saw a ship in the distance. The ship wasn't what attracted her attention; it was the pirate flag swaying in the wind. She only saw the flag for a minute, though, before they lowered it to dock. Guessing they were there just to stock for supplies, she hid back in the shadows keeping watch.

Anne wasn't like the other girls anymore. No more dresses and corsets for her. She wore pants and boots- mens' clothing- and carried a sword on her hip.
After the pirates left the ship, she decided to stowaway. She wanted adventure and this was her chance.
First, she needed a haircut and a large hat….

A few hours later, she returned to the docks- her hair now cut into a short bob- and a large (stolen) hat to cover her face.
Quietly she crept up to the ship, looking around to find no one nearby and climbed aboard.
She hid in a closet space, waiting for the pirates to get back.

'This is crazy…' She thought, almost laughing out loud.

'I just hope they're not too hostile…' She suddenly thought, beginning to wonder if she was making a big mistake.
… but it was too late now…

The ship lurched forward and she heard men shouting, following their Captain's orders.
When she though the coast was clear for her to leave the cramped space, she peeked her head out only to meet a pistol pointed at her.
"I see we have a stowaway." A man said, glaring down at her. He looked to be the Captain. A tall, dark-haired, green-eyed rugged pirate- whom she also thought to be quite a handsome man.

"Well, boy, explain yourself." He growled out.
"I'm sorry, sir. I just wanted to get away from Cutlass Bay. I will work hard for you if you let me stay." She quickly said, disguising her voice.

"What's yer name?" The pirate asked curiously.
"John Smith." Anne said, giving the first male name she could think of.
He eyed her suspiciously for a minute before finally nodding.

"Very well. I'm Captain William Redding." He said, reaching his hand out to shake hers.

And so that day, Anne became a part of a real pirate crew. She worked with them on a daily basis, and they seemed to like her. As John Smith anyway…

Captain Redding and her became close friends over the course of the next few months after she joined them. Anne always thought pirates to be vile, heartless people- but not these aboard The Lady. These men actually cared about things… some even had families.

Redding had no idea of Anne's secret. He did find out a couple of years later, though.

One evening, another pirate ship attacked theirs, killing a few and wounding many before they took most of Redding's supplies and belongings.
In the process of all the fighting, Redding was in danger of being killed. A second before the shot rang out through the damp air, Anne jumped in front of him, risking her own life to save the man she loved. Yes, she was in love with a pirate.

She was shot in the should and fell unconscious. After she awoke, she was met with a very grim-looking Captain.

"You lied. Who are you, really?" He asked sternly.
Immediately she started crying… not for the pain in her shoulder… but for deceiving Redding like she had. As she explained her story, his face softened.

After a few days, they reconciled and then revealed her true identity to the rest of the crew. They didn't seem too bothered by it, either.
Anne and William soon became good friends again, this time developing a more 'personal' relationship. She had become a true pirate now.

Sadly enough, they made land fall one day… it was Cutlass Bay again. Things there looked different after being gone for three years. She looked different…
Quickly racing along the cobblestone path, she ran to her father's house- hoping he would forgive their argument the day she left.. Only to find her Aunt Lois answering the door in clear shock.

"Where is he?" She whispered frantically, trying to catch her breath. William had finally caught up to her, too, and stood alongside her.

"Anne, I'm afraid he's gravely ill… pneumonia… it may literally kill him to see you." She whispered with a frown, beginning to close the door.

"Let whoever the visitor is in, Lois." Anne heard her father's voice in the back somewhere. Lois, short stocky woman, sighed and pushed the door open for Anne and William to enter the small cottage.

"Anne? Is that you?" She hears her father, Sam, say in disbelief from the corner of the room.
She turned to see him sitting up in bed and smiled.
"Yes." She said softly, stepping hesitantly toward him.
After staring at each other for a few awkward minutes, they burst into laughter-Sam's ending in a coughing fit as she placed a cool rag on his forehead.

"We've got to go…" William whispered in Anne's ear an hour later. Pulling him aside, she looked up at him apologetically.
"I'm sorry, William. I have to stay here and care for my father." She said as tears slowly made their path down her cheeks.
"I understand." He said softly, taking her hand and kissing it gently.

"Will I ever see you again?" She asked, look up into his emerald-green eyes.
"Keep looking to the horizon… I'll return for you one day, my love." He whispered gently in her ear, giving her a soft kiss on the cheek before leaving.

Anne's father died the following morning.

That was just a year ago- the last time she saw her pirate. Now she could see his ship just over the horizon- he kept his promise.
'Wow, a pirate actually keeping a promise… that's for the record books.' She thought humorously as the smile on her face grew wider.

After William docked, she immediately ran to him, jumping up in his arms happily.
"Oh I've missed you, Anne!" William shouted with laughter, holding onto her tightly and covering her face in kisses.

"And we've missed you, Redding." A stern male voice suddenly came from behind them. Turning, they found themselves surrounded by red and blue coats- The Royal Navy. Anne was in shock, as was William.

"Been looking for you for a long time, Redding. We finally caught up to you." An officer said with a proud smile.
"Fetch some irons… He has an appointment with the gallows at dawn." He added.
"No…." Anne whispered, tears stinging at her eyes.

"We will see each other again someday…" Captain Redding said sadly as the cuffs were placed around his wrists.

The next morning, the town gathered to watch the pirate's execution. Everyone except Anne, who stood down at the docks, her heart breaking at each passing second.
She could hear the angry chants of the townspeople at the pirate she loved.
If they only knew…
She heard the cheers and deafening sound of the rope being released. Anne knew he was gone now.

Later that evening she went back to the docks…. At the same time she would always go. This time, however, she had in her hand a vile of deadly poison.
Tears flowed freely down her cheeks as she slowly raised the bottle to her lips. The green liquid taste sweet and easily flowed down the back of her throat.

In a moment's time, she was falling backwards into the sea, staring up at the sky.

Before the darkness took her over, she saw the sky of cascading blues, purples, pinks and oranges reflecting on the clear-blue waters for the last time and smiled………….